In reality Trump simply brought the Republican campaign into line with official US policy.In early 2015, on the insistence of the US’s European NATO allies – first and foremost Chancellor Merkel of Germany – President Obama eventually decided against sending arms to Ukraine.President Obama has officially stuck by this policy, which remains official US policy, ever since.

This is the first occasion I can think of where liberal commentators criticise a Republican candidate for adopting an anti-escalation policy taken by a liberal Democrat President, and one which also happens to be the official policy of the US.

Truly what was once normal politics in this election is being stood on its head.